Removing Stains

Sunshine: Your Diaper's Best Friend!

Stains are part of cloth diapering. No matter how well you wash or what type of detergent you use, at some point you will find stains. Don’t panic! Staining does not mean that your diapers are not clean nor does it mean your diapers are ruined. But you may not feel like you are putting your baby in a clean cloth diaper if it’s stained, or if stains don’t bother you, they may be what turn off a mom who’s curious about cloth diapers when you whip one of yours out to show her how awesome they are.
So if you find your diapers are stained, you will discover that the sun is your best remedy.

Why sun your diapers?

The sun is an effective and natural stain remover; not to mention it’s a free way to not only remove stains, but also sanitize and brighten your cloth diapers without the use of harsh chemicals.

How does sunning cloth diapers even work?

It’s all about those ultra violet rays. The sun’s UV rays fade stains, on a molecular level, by breaking down the chemical bonds of the diaper stains. That same process also kills many of the germs on the surface of your cloth diaper.

How To Sun Your Diapers

After washing your cloth diapers, it’s ideal to put them outside directly under the sun. But direct sun is not required. Even on an overcast or winter day your diapers can benefit. Just lay the cloth diapers inside in front of a window. But keep in mind they may take longer than if they were outside on a sunny day.

Here’s how to remove cloth diaper stains using the sun:

Tips for Sunning Cloth Diapers

The following are tips and tricks when using the sun as a natural stain remover:

If hanging cloth diapers on a clothesline, use plastic clothespins vs. wooden ones so you won’t damage the fabric. You can also use the snaps on the diaper.

Sometimes inserts get a little crunchy when air dried. If this happens to you, put the diapers in the dryer, on a tumble low setting, for a few minutes to soften them.

Don’t leave your cloth diapers out in the sun all day. Over sunning can deteriorate the diaper.

We took some of the most stained diapers we could find (clean, but wet) and laid them in the sun for only 2 hours and the difference was AMAZING! So the next time your pristine diapers aren’t looking so pristine, put them out to sunbathe. You will be shocked by the excellent results!